AI vs. Human SEO #SEMrushchat with Shannon Steffen

Human SEO is the understanding of human search patterns when using tools such as search engines and social media networks. [For example] machines can never understand how a mom with a screaming baby at 3am searches differently than a CEO mom's nanny searching for that same product in the middle of her day with a laughing baby at the park. Humans search based on emotion. This is where AI and SEO intersect.

— Shannon K. Steffen

Since the industrial revolution of the 18th century, businesses have found profit in mechanizing everyday tasks. Back then, the steam engine powered every machine, today, artificial intelligence (AI) has taken its place by ceaselessly automating across every imaginable industry that has remotely anything to do with technology, and SEO is no different.

To understand whether or not traditional, manual, and human-centered SEO is threatened or augmented by AI, we invited Shannon K. Steffen onto last week's #SEMrushchat to share her tactics on targeting the right audience, increasing traffic, qualifying leads, and selling more with Human SEO marketing solutions. Here is what Shannon and the rest of our chat participants had to say:

Q1. In your opinion, do you think AI will make SEO obsolete?

No way, if you ask Shannon! Because SEO, in her opinion, is a living, breathing technology with immortal and ever-changing “best practices,” such as keyword research, web development, content and link building, each of which is essential for search engines themselves to function properly.

A1: No. SEO is a living technology. Solid SEO best practices never die but rather morph. Keywords, solid web dev, natural content, & link building are needed in order for the search engines to even be able to crawl content correctly in the first place. #SEMRushChat

AI enables humans to do “human” things more easily and improve how SEO is implemented. There is little chance of SEO “dying” as it forms the backbone of digital marketing. Instead, AI could make it more exciting and evolve to encompass optimization tactics beyond those directly related to search engines.

Experts including Craig Campbell - @craigcampbell03 and Bill Slawski - @bill_slawski predicted SEO will not become obsolete under any circumstances, because elements unique to human nature, like curiosity and empathy, are still beyond AI’s reach. Further, humans control the AI tools themselves. Planning a marketing strategy is also a uniquely human occupation. However, there will definitely be a dip in hiring due to automation, as tools with more advanced capabilities continue to be developed.

A1. I think marketing specialities that involve strategy will, for the most part, at least require human oversight. Tools will be more advanced because of AI but won't go as far as replacing the person. #semrushchat

SEO itself will be a lot better due to AI. Already, great progress has been made due to a collection of new, real-time data streams. AI will help humans optimize visual content better, improve voice search, target conversational keyword clusters, provide better UX, cut down black hat tactics, create efficient reports, and make informed decisions in general.

A1: It's going make us better marketers in a few ways such as; cutting down black hat SEO, improving visual and voice search, optimizing content for conversational keywords and the end game of better UX and value. #semrushchat

AI’s integration with SEO will only become stronger, with machine learning and quantum computing delivering new insights that will help us create stronger, long-term, user-focused strategies. Marketers need to learn how to use AI effectively to strengthen various components of SEO.

a1. Of course not. It will, however, make it a long game instead of short, strategic, instead of tactical, user-based instead of systemic. ML uses elemens of SEO for learning. Learn those elements, work with UX, IA and content to influence from the other side #semrushchat

AI reinforces human experience in SEO by automating tasks that we need to do and provides immediate feedback on the results. It can help us discover new patterns in our behavior and even simulate outcomes of decisions. However, it can’t supplement or reproduce decision-making capabilities that have been developed over years of human experience. Like Andrew - @optimisey said, if multiple organizations use the same AI, human skills would be the crucial differentiator for each one of them.

A1: Artificial intelligence reinforces the importance of SEO. It's a tool to be used with the industry, not something that can simply or realistically replace it. #semrushchat

Q2. What is the impact of AI on SEO?

AI has infused human traits into SEO and changed it from a system that could be easily manipulated to a knowledge-centered technology that encourages interaction and trust among people.

A2: AI forces SEO to become more human. AI takes what was once a system that could be easily manipulated for higher rankings and bridges the changes in technology with the know, like, and trust society we've become. #SEMRushChat

The short-term impact of AI on search algorithms and results won’t be drastic. After all, algorithms are only as good as the data they’re fed. Therefore, until AI becomes perfect, SEOs and engineers will be left scratching their heads when inconsistencies crop up.

A2. #semrushchat impact of AI in SEO will be hit and miss in the early days. Like we have seen in the Algos thus far. It helps speed things up, but often needs correcting by us. https://t.co/vXmVD4fMVQ

Right now, Google is using AI to understand users and provide a better user experience.

A2: I think we are seeing it now, with the quick changes in the ranking algorithm as Google uses AI to understand users. I believe AI also puts a huge emphasis on user experience from search results to the way we build/design websites. AI makes us think User #semrushchat

A2. Sophisticated AI will make it easier to interpret big data and understand ranking factors at a query level. It will also make our data more impactful, so we can make smarter decisions about our SEO strategies. #semrushchathttps://t.co/miz0t3cBFn

As marketers, we must adapt to the changes that AI influences. As JP Sherman - @jpsherman stated, we need to change our perception of the internet from a collection of web pages, to a database of information. This way, we would be able to correlate and study huge amounts of data, making our research process more effective.

A2: in the near/ short term the impact will be minimal, but will be touted as a panacea - but I think AI or ML will only be as good as the data its fed - so, brush up on schema & structured markup #semrushchat

We should also attempt to understand the potentially damaging impact of AI before we fully adopt it. Immoral inputs or inputs devoid of morals might lead AI to learn incorrect ethical principles, which would, in turn, have undesirable effects on content marketing and user behavior as a whole.

A2 Potentially more frightening, AI will learn morals from human (Hello Taye!), and that moral input may be inhuman. #SEMRUSHChat

A2. AI can have a profoundly disturbing impact on SEO and content marketing if left to run on its own. It will learn user behavior and make suggestions/changes that do not contain any moral input. #semrushchathttps://t.co/qiLIOI0OCs

Q3. What are some of the advantages of using AI for SEO? Disadvantages?

Shannon K Steffen - @ShannonKSteffen believes that human connections and engagement are the central tenets of both AI and SEO. AI might not serve up the accurate content, but it will certainly help weed out black hat tactics for ranking. Ultimately, you will get more conversions from the traffic that SEO brings you. People who try and game the algorithms will be the only ones to suffer continued setbacks with the evolution of AI.

Automation is the single most important advantage that AI offers – improvements in speed, efficiency and cost savings allows us to focus more on key areas that impact user experience. However, faulty inputs will quickly lead to bad decisions.

A3 - AI can help automate some tasks, saving time. Disadvantages - not always accurate and cannot fully replace SEO as human behavior and analysis will need to control the AI and audit the results. #semrushchat@semrush

A3. some of the advantages of using AI for SEO is to free us from thinking about problems, so we can think about other problems, and not keep an eye on it. Disadvantages are we will have more that one brain, so who is going to keep an eye on it? #semrushchathttps://t.co/1K1qc18d1c

When it comes to SEO, AI gives marketers access to big data, a deeper understanding of industry trends, and helps prioritize UX by standardizing practices and processes. What is more, you can precisely match user intent based on their past behavior, while helping them discover new solutions with a personalized, humanized content strategy.

A3 better standardisation... ie currently more human influence / uncertainty in the actual process but when AI applied it will be programmed and therefore more continuity?(I think). ie team dynamics / disruption to SEO practices #semrushchat

a3. Precision relevance for user queries based on what the user has waned in the past as evidenced by their behavior. Nice if you like eating at the same restaurant always. AI leaves behind the delight of discovery. That makes content strategy all the more important. #semrushchat

Over-reliance on AI could easily be your biggest drawback. You need to understand that AI is a reinforcement, not a replacement, to SEO, and figure out exactly how it will help you create successful campaigns.

A3: (2/2) The disadvantage is relying too much on AI. AI is developed to aid the marketer in making informed decisions, but the biggest disadvantage is not knowing exactly how you can benefit from AI #semrushchat

a3 Advantages of using AI in SEO is to automate aspects of SEO that do not require, human intervention. A1 SEO disadvantages are that some people think "SEO is DEAD" A1 is it - but at present, it is more in addition to an SEO - not an instead of. #semrushchat

Q4. How can SEOs keep the balance between what AI can do and what will be left for human specialists to work on?

Google keeps saying that their search algorithm chases user intent – a clear signal that marketers have no business chasing the algorithm. It has been said a million times, and Shannon isn’t shy of repeating it, Create content for humans first. Your SEO efforts should focus on the wants of the customer, as opposed to those of the business. While SEO can help you communicate to the search engine, AI will assist you to create content directly aimed at humans.

Humans are the boss of AI. Humans decide what AI will or will not do. That said, you can tip the scale depending on the aims of your campaign and the capabilities of your team. You can go easy wherever AI becomes a deterrent instead of an advantage.

A4: Not sure that there *needs* to be a balance in that the humans are the bosses. If you decide what AI can and can't do for you, then that's what you've decided, ya know? Everything else is not relevant to how it's working for you. #semrushchatpic.twitter.com/kVUrSfXuy3

A4: Human specialists wear the pants in this relationship. We can always scale back AI if it becomes more of a hindrance than a benefit. For every team, the perfect balance between AI and human work will be slightly different. #semrushchat

The two elements of marketing that will always be controlled by humans are creativity and responsibility. You need creativity to deliver your brand message to fellow humans; you need to take responsibility for the results returned by AI. While AI is good at processing data, humans are good at coming up with and communicating ideas.

A4: I think a lot of it will come down to common sense. You should always check all of your work, including the results returned to you by AI.

There will always be the creative element of SEO that humans need to work on for humans.#semrushchat

Don’t forget that humans are behind the AI tools that automate SEO. Ultimately, your knowledge of SEO and digital channels is critical if you want to reap all the benefits that AI offers. You need to stay on top of the implementation process and not over-rely on AI for the outcomes. The balance will speak for itself in the results.

a4. SEOs are among a cadre of human specialists that ensure human factors are part of the develoopment of AI.That is, if the want to be. It requires a knowledge of the space that extends well beyond usual SEO information channels. #semrushchat

a4 If your job is to do quality SEO for the client you'll find the balance in the results. If AI is getting the job done - that's good. If not, you'll be doing the work by hand - like always. #semrushchatpic.twitter.com/csmAMzSIFH

From the SEO point of view, it’s difficult to achieve a balance while Google is constantly shaking things up. Humans need to decide where to begin and where to stop. So, do your due diligence and add your own insights if you want to pass on the results of AI to your customers in ways that truly benefit them.

A4: You need to understand that AI works for you not against you. If you let AI conduct keyword research great! That's a no-brainer, but make sure you look for quality and uniqueness in the keyword data, cause to AI that's data, but to you, it's content to users. #semrushchat

A5: I'm a big fan of using SEMrush, Ahrefs, Buzzsumo, and Conductor. These tools stand out the most to me in terms of competitive research and content development. I also love Screaming Frog for my technical issues with the site and AI issues. #semrushchat

Google itself has a ton of tools that help you predict user intent via queries and understand user behavior. Start with the search results themselves to understand the AI beneath the ranking system. Try out Google Machine Learning kit for mobile, Google Assistant, Google Home, and Google Ads to understand how AI deals with the relationship between keywords and relevant content.

A5 One of the best tools to use to understand AI and SEO are the results on Google themselves which leave a lot to learn from if you are looking for them and know what questions to ask. #SEMRUSHChat

A5 you could start with Googles own ML kit for mobile.
I haven’t so have no idea if its any good. I did try 80legs years ago but that kind of stopped being developed.#SEMRushChatpic.twitter.com/tZ9U1ABHrd

A5. #semrushchat Start practicing with Google assistant, like Home, and Amazon Prime. Try out queries. Also play with automated features of Google Ads. Play with Bing Ads. Get used to how voice recognition works too. There is a lot too it, and lots of places to start. https://t.co/YosbEDWW6G

Don’t chase AI and tools because they’re constantly shifting with time, instead, focus on users, customers, their intents, and the content that connects them to you. Of course, you have a very special tool — your brain, that can help you to do that!

Shannon's Key Takeaways:

SEO increases traffic, but AI increases traffic conversions.

Automation and AI are not the same things. Automation speeds up a process. AI helps the process become more human and engage.

Use SEO to communicate to the search engines and AI-related content to communicate to the humans.

That is all for today! Tell us in the comments about your take on AI and SEO. How is AI evolving? Where does it overlap with SEO and various other digital marketing channels? What kind of tools do you use to analyze your customer or user data?

Don’t forget to join us on this Wednesday's #SEMrushchat at 11AM EST to discuss "Ways to build Expertise, Authority and Trust to Boost your SEO" with Sherry Bonelli!

Becky Shindell is the Communications Manager at SEMrush and host of the weekly #SEMrushchat. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow her on Twitter. You can find Becky at many of the US Digital Marketing Conferences, feel free to say hi!

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Comments

AI would have more scope in the coming future.But human SEO is more powerful as he can think better and take better decision than the AI. It would be interesting to see the competition between AI and Manual SEO work that who brings more rank to particular site . For me Human SEO specialist will definitely win.

Thanks for the very detailed article, Becky. We have dabbled with some AI SEO and PPC work and have found it to be useful, but still needing to have an eye on it. It will be interesting to see where things head!

We always need SEO so that Google along with other Search Engines detect the sort of brand by using hash tags, well structured HTML landing page and relevant keywords, as Google isn't ever going to be aware of what you are trying to market to a potential audience.